Neena Mae Rayos, Philippine Canadian InquirerJuly 30, 2026WASHINGTON – Philippine tennis star Alex Eala secured her place in the quarterfinals of the Mubadala DC Open with a gritty 6-2, 7-6 (1) victory over defending champion Leylah Fernandez, leveling their head-to-head record at one win each. 28 started strong, taking a 3-0 lead in the first set before breaking Fernandez to win 6-2, but struggled in the second set as the No. “I think patience was key there, and just trying to work it out, and have a strong mentality in terms of trying to find solutions,” Eala said. She also notes her pride in fighting back against a formidable opponent she had previously lost to in the Stuttgart Open in April. Now, she prepares to face the winner of the Polina Kudermetova versus Elina Svitolina match, aiming to reach another semifinal as she begins her North American swing in preparation for the US Open.